The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1887-06-09
An Incident of Kentucky Pioneer Life.

oner or take q scalp whenever an
incautious white would give the
opportunity. Frequent combats
land each combat ended, as rule,
in the death of one or both of those
engaged) had habituated the men |
20 danger. 1t was later that they |
felt the danger Of their wives and
children.
Late on a Sunday afternoon IN
July, 1776, three young girls ven
tured from the enclosure Of Boones
borough to amuse themselves with
a canoe upon the river that flowed
by the fort. Insensibly they drlfted
with the lazy current, and before
they were aware Of their danger
were seized by five warriors. Their
resistance was useless, though they
welded the paddles with despera
5ion. Their canoe was drawn
ashore and they we're hurried OF
in rapid retreat toward the Shaw
nee towns in Ohio. Their screams
we're heard at the fort, and the
cause well guessed. Two OF the
girls were Betsy and Frances,
daughters of Colonel RichardsCaila-
way, the other was Jemima, daugh-
ter of Boone. The fathers were abb
sent. but soon returned to hear the
| evil news and arrange the pursuit.
| Galloway assembled mounted par
ty. and was away through the
woods to head off the Indians, ii
possible, before they might reach
and cross the Ohio, or before the
fatigue of their rapid march should
so overcome the poor girls as TO
cause their captors to tomahawk
them and so disencumber their
light. Boone started directly on
tie trail through the thickets and
canebrakes. His rule was never to
ride if he could possibly walk. All
his journeys and hunts, escapes and
pursuits, were on foot. His party
numbered eight, and the anxiety
of fathers heart quickened Its
leader and found ready response
in the breasts Of three young men
the lovers Of the girls.
Betsey Galloway, the oldest o
the girls, marked the trail, as the
Indians hurried them along, by
breaking twigs and bending bush
es, and when threatened with tht
, tomahawk if she persisted, tor
! small bits from her dress and drop
ped them to guide the pursuers
Where the ground was soft enough
to receive an impression, the.
: would press q footprint. The fiigh
: was in the best Indian method; tn
: Indians marched some yards apar
! through the bushes and cane, com
pelling their captives to do th
same. When q creek was crosses
{ they waded ia its water to dis
= tant point, where the march woult
= be resumed. By all the caution an
e skill of their training the Indian
endea 1ored to obscure the trail an
Il perpIex the pursuers. The night
= fall of the fret day stopped the pun
= suit of Boone before he had gon
= far; but he had fixed the directlo
= the Indians were taking, and a
early dawn was following them
The chase was continued with a
5 the speed that could be made 70
G thirty miles. Again darkness CON
Il PEELED halt, and again at crack c
= day on Tuesday the pursuit Wa
renewed. 1t was not long before
light film of smoke that rose in til
distance showed where the Indian
> were cooking a breakfast OF buffa
10 meat. The pursuers cautiousl
= approached, fearing lest the Indian
" might islay their captiYes and es
: cape. Colonel John Lloyd, VIII
was one of the party (hlmself af
forwards killed by Indians), thu
e described the attack and the res
n cue, in a letter written the mex
i Sunday to the lieutenant of Fincas
9 tie, Colonel William Preston:
c "Our study had been how to &c
. the prisoners without giving the In
a plans time to murder them afte
e they discovered us. Four Of U
fired, and all of US rushed on them
by which they were prevented frol
carrying anything away except Oh
r shot gun without any ammunition
Colonel Boone and myself had eac
. a pretty fair shot as they began t
. move off. l am well convinced
q shot one through the body. Th
one he shot dropped his gun; min
,, had none. The place was covere
. with thick cane, and being so niue
:, elated on recovering the three poo
. little heart-broken girls, we wer
prevented from making any furthe
search. We sent the Indians o
, almost naked, some without thei
/ maccosins, and none Of them wit
d so much as a knife or tomahawl
9, After the glrls came to themselve
II sufficiently to speak, they told u
l. there were five Indians, four Shaw
h anese and one Cherokee; they couI
of speak good English, and said the
1t should 90 to tbs Shawanese towns
n The war-club we got was like thos
r | have seen of that nation, and sew
g eral words of their language, whic
e the girls retained, were known to t
re Shawanese."
e The return with the rescued gin
n was the occasion for great rejoicing
D To crown their satisfaction, til
young lovers had proved the
prowess, and under the eye of th
greatest of all woodsmen ha
showing their skill and courag,
/, They had fairly won the girls the
! loved. Two weeks later q gener!
h summons went throughout the lit
\ settlement to attend the first wee
10 ding ever sulemniZed on Kentuck
q soil. Samuel Henderson and Bet
NJ sey Galloway were married in th
,s presence OF an approving compan
shat celebrated the event with dane
a. ing and feasting. The formal /
ID cense from the county cou
- was not waited for, as the cour
~ house of Fincastle, of which count
q, Kentucky was part, was distal
= more than six hundred miles. III